Re: Turning the Car Seat Around

The new recommendations are for at least 2 years. Extended rear facing I believe is as long as possible (when LO outgrows the RF limits). The reasoning being is that their bones need more time to ossify, and otherwise risk internal decapitation by FF too soon.

The new recommendations are for at least 2 years. Extended rear facing I believe is as long as possible (when LO outgrows the RF limits). The reasoning being is that their bones need more time to ossify, and otherwise risk internal decapitation by FF too soon.

Yep this. You should keep them rear facing until at least 2 and then, until as long as you can before they outgrow their seat rear facing. My kids will be rearfacing until a minimum of 3 but I am shooting for 4.

We were 2 under 2, now 3 under 3!

Team Green turned Team Pink with #1, Team Green turned Team Blue with #2, Team Green turned Team Pink again with #3

This is why you keep your child RF. This is a regular toddler sized crash test dummy. This is a 20MPH front end collision. Look at the difference. Internal decapitation isn't something unheard of. It's something that kills. Please keep your child RFing as long as possible. Little broken legs are much better than a dead child.

We got the Diono Radian RXT seat so we could rear face long past 2yrs (45lbs).

The whole, turn at 1yr, 22lbs and when they are walking is a time of the past. Research clearly states that children are by far safer rear facing.

You'll notice the vast majority of car seats now have rear facing limits of 35-50lbs. Aside from the infant bucket seats (meant for first few months of lugging sleeping infants in and out of car) very few convertible seats only go up to 22lbs now. This is due to the research and realization that children should remain rear facing. Sweden and other European countries have long had their children rear face until age 4-5yrs then turned them at booster age.

Not all parents are aware of the risks of forward facing too soon and the benefits of rear facing, spread the word.

My six year old is rear facing upon her request. She is pretty small though.She stands 42 inches tall and is 40 pounds. She has a short torso. I rear face until four usually, but will be turning my 33 month old at 3 as I am done fighting with him in the car. DD3 and 4 will rear face until four and then as I always do give them the option of forward facing.

This is why you keep your child RF. This is a regular toddler sized crash test dummy. This is a 20MPH front end collision. Look at the difference. Internal decapitation isn't something unheard of. It's something that kills. Please keep your child RFing as long as possible. Little broken legs are much better than a dead child.

I'm so glad you posted these videos. The one makes me cry every time I see it.

Another advocate for extended rfing here. My 3.5 yo is 41" and 37.5 lbs and rear facing in a Graco MySize. DD1 rear faced to 2.5 years, which is when she outgrew the limits of the seat we had then (back in 2008). She was 40" and 32 lbs.

This is why you keep your child RF. This is a regular toddler sized crash test dummy. This is a 20MPH front end collision. Look at the difference. Internal decapitation isn't something unheard of. It's something that kills. Please keep your child RFing as long as possible. Little broken legs are much better than a dead child.